Never Too Late
by pepper0324
Summary: One shot. Takes place during the season six finale so there might be spoilers but not really since we don't know who got Lucilled. How will Maggie and Tara cope after that horrible night when all seems lost? Some violence and sex.
Warning: Major character death...it's not Tara or Maggie though. Oh and Tara g!p in this one...I can't seem to write her any other way so forgive me. This picks up right where the season six finale left off.

This one is inspired by the song Never Too Late by Three Days Grace. It's a great song if you ever have time to take a listen.

* * *

Negan paced back and forth between the captives, taking great relish in their scared faces and panicked looks every time Lucille swung in the air. The night air was unusually cold for a fall Virginia night but that didn't stop his prisoners from sweating in fright.

"You're gonna fuckin' regret crossin' me. Now, I'm gonna beat the holy hell outta one of you. Fuckity fuck fuckers," Negan grinned before making a speech about the New World order and how Rick's group was expected to work for him now.

Rick's nervous eyes never left the barbed wire covered bat, his mind racing. He realized a little too late that they had crossed the wrong group and now they were really going to pay this time. Someone from his family, someone he loved, was going to die and there was nothing he could do.

Negan strolled around in front of the Survivors, trying to decide who would get the honor of meeting Lucille. He saw a few candidates that sparked his interest but he was having a hard time narrowing it down to one.

"I simply cannot decide, fuck! I know, let's play a little game," the ruthless man pointed his baseball bat toward the captives, grinning evilly.

"Eenie, meenie..." Negan thrusted his bat in Michonne's face, ignoring the glare that she sent his way.

"Miney..." Rosita gulped as Lucille slightly touched her hair, causing her to shudder.

"Mo..." Eugene could barely keep his body from shaking as the bat touched his chin.

"Catch a..." Aaron moved his head, glancing at the ground as Lucille brushed his neck with her spikes.

"Tiger..." Sasha's lip quivered in fear as Negan set his eyes on her, letting the bat linger in front of her face for a few extra seconds.

"By his..." Glenn shivered as Negan waved Lucille in his face. He could only hope that the maniac wouldn't pick Maggie in the end.

"Toe..." Maggie could barely sit up on her own as she stared down the studded bat, her body trembling in panic and pain.

"If he..." Abraham simply narrowed his eyes at the ruthless leader, refusing to show the predator any fear.

"Hollers..." Daryl turned his head slightly as Lucille touched his cheek, the cold steel from the barbed wires pressed against his skin.

"Let him..." Carl could feel his heart race as the bat was pointed towards his face. The teen tried to stay stoic but knew that if Lucille swung in his direction, he would piss his pants.

"Go..." Rick could hardly believe what was happening, not even noticing the bat in his face. All he could think about was that someone in his family was about to receive a brutal death.

With each word that came from his mouth, Negan pointed Lucille towards one of the captives, assigning them to that word in his deadly game. "My mother told me to pick the very best one and you are...it!"

Rick wanted to shout when he realized who was going to be on the receiving end of the bat. He wasn't prepared to lose someone so close to him. Someone who had been there with him since the beginning. Tears ran down Maggie's face when she saw the unfortunate victim. She wanted to move but her body was in shock from everything. The others shouted in dismay and pleaded for Negan to stop. In the background, the Saviors shouted in fervor, ready for some more bloodshed. The crazy leader stepped in front of his victim, who looked pathetic as he sat there on his knees, waiting for the inevitable.

"Anybody moves, anybody says anything, cut the boy's other eye out and feed it to his father, and then we'll start. You can breathe, you can blink, you can cry. Hell, you're all gonna be doing that," Negan laughed as he swung the bat into the air. A few tense seconds passed before he forcefully brought the weapon down onto his victim.

"Woah! Look at that! Takin' it like a champ!" He laughed as Lucille struck her victim again and again. Brain matter and blood splattered everywhere as Rick's group screamed in horror and agony. Negan didn't care as some blood splashed onto his face, taking pleasure in beating the poor bastard in front of him.

"Stop!" Rick yelled, glancing over at Maggie who was sobbing uncontrollably.

"What? The party is just getting fuckin' started!" Negan shouted as he swung the bat into the battered body a few more times for good measure before finally stopping. He wiped the blood from his lips and face, grinning widely, admiring his handy work.

Rick hung his head down, barely able to stomach what had happened. His anxious eyes wandered over to the rest of his group. Maggie looked ready to pass out from a combination of witnessing the horrible event and her declining physical condition. Eugene was on the verge of tears, trying desperately to hold them back. The rest of the group looked on in utter shock and disbelief as if their minds couldn't comprehend reality.

Negan smiled that charming smile of his as he lovingly wiped the blood off Lucille with a white rag that was in his pocket. The cloth quickly turned dark red as the blood was spread all over it. He glanced at the dead body once more before deciding that Rick's group had had enough torment for now. Negan was sure that they had learned their lesson for once.

"Ta-ta..." Negan turned to walk away and leave his victims to dwell in their despair, but he stopped, suddenly remembering something. Lucille swung lazily by his side, some leftover blood dripping from the spikes onto the dirt.

Negan began to laugh, the sound ripping through the hearts of the survivors still on their knees in shock. "Hey, Ricky boy, I almost forgot. We ran into a couple of stragglers the other day. They wouldn't give out much information, no matter how much I beat the hell outta the two of them. Fuckin' tough those two are."

He snapped his fingers and whistled, signaling his men to bring out his other captives. "Bring them out, boys. So Ricky...you know a Heath and a Tara? Maybe we should make this a fuckin' two for one deal, huh? Ya know...I get two kills and you get one fuckin' warning? I mean they did give me a lot of trouble and back talk. That Tara sure does have a mouth on her."

Rick's head shot up, his heart dropping when a couple of Negan's guys roughly dragged out Heath and Tara from the back of a black van. Heath looked horrible, his face all bruised up and it was evident that he was having trouble walking. Tara, on the other hand, was in worse shape, if that was even possible.

Maggie glanced up, tears in her face from the pain she was in and the loss she had just suffered. She was dismayed to see that Tara had been caught up in this mess. It was very evident that Tara had been to hell and back since there were bruises and cuts all over her face and arms. One of her eyes was black and her lip was busted. A fresh cut on her head was still bleeding slowly, the blood dripping down her face.

The henchmen threw Heath and Tara to the ground by Negan's feet. The ruthless leader wasted no time as he kicked them in the ribs, trying to rouse them up. "Come on! On your fuckin' knees! I'm still deciding if I'm gonna kill one of y'all."

"Stop! You've done enough," Rick pleaded as tears fell down his face. He didn't even comprehend that he was crying, his heart racing. Rick winced with each kick that landed on Heath and Tara's body. Tara took a few extra seconds to get on her knees, coughing up blood from the brutal kicks.

"Have I? Have you really learned your fuckin' lesson? Hmm...I'm not so sure," Negan swung his bat by Tara's head causing the Survivors to jump slightly. "It took all my willpower just to not bash this one's head in. I came this close so many times."

As if to make his point, Negan held the ominous bat close to Tara's head. She was pretty sure she could feel the spikes lightly grace her skin, leaving behind small scratches. Maggie wanted to yell at Negan, plead for him to not hurt Tara anymore but her voice had left her and all she could do was cry. Negan immediately noticed the connection that Maggie and Tara had, deciding to use that to his advantage for a quick laugh.

"Or hey...I've got an idea! How about I just kill the bitch I intended to kill first before I was rudely interrupted, huh?" Negan glared at Tara as his footsteps stopped in front of Maggie. Rosita and Michonne pleaded with him to reconsider. Rick and Abraham weakly threatened to kill him. Negan didn't mind much, it was all talk after all. The ominous bat swung lazily in the air.

"No! Get away from her!" Tara yelled at Negan as she jumped to her feet, ready to tackle him dead on. She didn't care if she got the bat for the show of disobedience as long as Maggie was safe.

Negan chuckled as a couple of his men stopped Tara, forcefully throwing her back beside Heath. They pointed their guns at her, daring her to make another move.

The crazed leader turned his attention to Maggie again causing her to look down at the ground, wanting to avoid his manic eyes. "You must be something special if two people were willin' to give up their fuckin' lives for you. Love triangle? Usually people only give up their lives for someone they love. Think about that."

"Come on! Do your worse...you fuckin' pussy!" Tara taunted, hopped up on adrenaline and the fact that the body of her best friend was just laying a few feet away, his head bashed in and unrecognizable. Tara couldn't believe it at first, but glancing at the clothing she knew it was Glenn. She kept all emotion off her face, not wanting to give Negan that satisfaction, but happy that his attention was on her now and not Maggie.

Negan simply grinned as he paced around, seriously considering killing the loud mouthed prisoner in front of him. He would probably be doing Tara a favor since she looked pretty fucked up and in a lot of pain. Negan stopped in front of Tara, listening as Rick's group begged for him not to take that next final step. He raised Lucille into the air, his men cheering him on.

Tara's brown eyes caught Maggie's green ones and she suddenly knew she needed to bring her anger down a few notches. Tara wouldn't be able to help take care of Maggie if she was dead. Maggie needed her now more than ever, especially after what just happened.

Tara shut her mouth, looking down at the ground. She heard the swoosh of Lucille as Negan swung the bat around, taking great pleasure in this game that he was playing with his victims.

Negan turned to Rick. "See? What I told you? Has a mouth on her...maybe I should just shut her up for fuckin' good."

"No!" Rick and Maggie cried out as Negan made a motion to bring Lucille down onto Tara's head. At the last second, he moved the bat to the side, hitting Tara on the arm, ripping out some of her flesh causing fresh blood to ooze from her newest injury. Tara had closed her eyes, waiting for the onslaught of pain to hit her skull, but none never came. Instead, she felt like she had been shot in the arm, the force of the hit causing her to fall back.

"Holy shit! You actually thought I was gonna kill ya, huh?" Negan let out a hearty laugh as Tara opened her eyes and glared at him. She hated the man in front of her more than anything.

"I'm done here. You pricks are boring me to fuckin' death. I think y'all know not to cross me anymore and when I come for half of your shit, you best give it up. Otherwise, I will kill more of you. I'll destroy your fuckin' community...you'll fuckin' learn your place. You have one week," Negan grinned, glancing at the Survivors one more time before opening the door to a blue truck.

He stopped by Maggie as her breathing became more labored as pain overtook her body. She gripped her stomach as blood started to seep down her leg. The stress of the horrid night was simply too much for her to handle.

"Holy fuck! That's what I'm talking about now! Scared this bitch so bad that the little whippersnapper is outta her now," Negan's men laughed as Tara glared at all of them. She ran to Maggie's side, not caring about the consequences or the pain she was in as she pulled Maggie close, trying to comfort her. Maggie gripped Tara's shirt for death life, the hurt radiating and becoming stronger with each passing second.

Negan watched the two for a few seconds, not really caring about the drama anymore. He was done with Rick's group for now but if they crossed him again...Tara was first on his brutal kill list. Negan whistled the ominous sound, signaling to his men that it was time to leave.

"Let's go boys! If they don't listen, then we'll fuck them up. For now, let them go in their piss poor RV," Negan's loud voice bellowed out from the truck as one of his men started the engine.

Rick's group watched as the Saviors packed up their belongings, almost afraid to move a muscle in case this was an elaborate trap. The only sounds to be heard were engines starting and Maggie's soft sobs as she cried over Glenn and the hurt she was experiencing, her tears soaking Tara's shirt.

Finally, after a few long, tense minutes all of the Saviors were gone. Negan even had the audacity to wave goodbye to the Survivors as he was driven away. Rick's group, Glenn's battered body, and the RV were the only things left in the woods, which had become eerily quiet.

Suddenly, the quiet was interrupted by Maggie's scream of agony. "Oh God! This hurts so much!"

"Hey...it's gonna be alright, sweetie. Just breathe," Tara cradled Maggie close, noticing that the pregnant woman was bleeding quite a bit. That was never a good sign.

"Why is Maggie out here in the first place?" Tara asked protectively, trying to ignore the battered body just a few feet away.

No one answered for a second, most still in shock from the most recent death. After a few seconds, Rick finally found his voice. "We had to get her to a doctor. She was in a lot of pain...we needed a doctor. A doctor."

"Doctor? Why didn't y'all just let Denise look her over. I know she's not a baby doctor but she could have helped," Tara questioned as Rosita and Daryl glanced at the ground, remembering what had happened to Denise just days earlier. Tara immediately knew that something horrible had happened by their reaction.

"What happened? Is Denise alright?" Tara started to panic and would have jumped to her feet if Maggie had not been in her lap, cradled safely in her arms.

Daryl stepped forward, choking on his words, his heart hurting for both Glenn and Denise. "Denise...she went out on a run for medical supplies with me and Rosita. Saviors attacked us and they killed her..."

Tara almost couldn't believe what she was hearing and she didn't want to comprehend it. Denise was gone. She would never see her again. Someone else that she loved had been cruelly taken away from her. Tara could feel the tears want to fall but she kept them at bay. She needed to be strong for Maggie right now. There would be plenty of time to mourn her recent losses later.

"I'm sorry..." Rosita sadly said, her hand gently rubbing Tara's shoulder.

"Come on! We need to get Maggie to Hilltop! She's going downhill fast!" Tara stood up with Maggie in her arms, running to the RV door which Abraham opened. She pushed her grief away, concentrating on Maggie instead. She needed Maggie to pull through this, she couldn't lose her also.

"We'll come back for the body..." Rick muttered as he jumped to his feet. This action seemed to spur the others as the shock wore off and they quickly set about, ready to leave this hellhole behind.

Tara carried Maggie into the RV where Abe had already started the engine. She gently placed Maggie on the small sofa, covering her up with a blanket. Tara was about to head to the front of the RV to help Abraham and Sasha navigate to the Hilltop settlement, when Maggie reached out, grabbing her arm.

"Please stay with me...please..." Maggie almost begged in a soft voice so full of misery that nearly ripped Tara's heart out.

Maggie sat up slightly so Tara could sit down. Once Tara was seated, Maggie placed her head on her friend's lap, shutting her eyes, trying not to pass out from the pain. Tara lightly brushed Maggie's side before reaching down to take her hand, holding it tight. Every so often, Tara felt Maggie's grip get tighter when a wave of pain hit her.

"You can't leave me either..." Maggie felt some tears escape her eyes as she shut them, trying to keep the sobs from spilling out.

"I'm not going anywhere. I promise," Tara softly said, her fingers running gently through Maggie's soft hair, noticing her new haircut for the first time.

"What if something's wrong with the baby?" Maggie sniffed, not wanting to think about that horrible possibility.

"The baby's gonna be alright. Just try to relax until we get there," Tara leaned down, placing a quick kiss on Maggie's forehead.

Maggie gave Tara a sad smile before nestling closer to the warm body next to her and pulling the blanket tighter around her cold body. Soon, Maggie fell into a restless sleep as Tara anxiously wondered how much longer they had left to travel. Maggie was burning up and sweating, but she had the chills at the same time. Tara didn't think that was a good sign.

She glanced out the window still not fully accepting the fact that Denise and Glenn were both gone. Two people she loved most in the world...gone. All she had left of them now were the memories but that wasn't the same. Tara knew that when she had time to really think then she would be a devastated mess but right now her priority was Maggie. Her own emotions could wait.

Tara thought about the last time she had seen Denise. They were standing in the kitchen as Tara waited for Glenn and Maggie to collect her for their mission against the Saviors. It had been early morning and Tara had been in a good mood as she waited for her friends. Denise had given her some muffins to take on the road, telling her goodbye before she left for the infirmary. They had shared a kiss and a long hug as Tara promised to be back in a couple of weeks after that long supply run...too bad Denise wouldn't be waiting for her.

She thought about the last time she had seen Glenn. After their mission had been complete, Glenn had pulled her into a long hug, almost as if he knew it would be the last time they would see each other alive. Tara sighed sadly, silently promising her best friend that she would take care of Maggie no matter what.

Outside, the road kept on going as the distressed family tried their fastest to get to their destination. They couldn't handle the thought of losing anyone else, especially someone as loved as Maggie. Tara held her close, praying for the first time in years, hoping that they would make it in time.

* * *

The RV finally made it to the gates that protected the Hilltop community, the horn honking loudly as the guards raised their spears in defense. Rick jumped out of the vehicle before it even stopped with his hands up.

"Eric! It's Rick from Alexandria! We need to see Dr. Carson! We have an emergency!" Rick shouted as someone from the guard tower yelled for the gate to be opened.

The large wooden gate opened as the RV drove through and parked near the buildings. Jesus came running out to greet his friends, worried about what had happened and who was hurt. Abraham jumped out and explained the situation which caused Jesus to run in search of the community doctor.

"You got her?" Rick asked Tara as she nodded in response.

"I've got her," Tara whispered so she wouldn't wake up Maggie who was resting peacefully for once.

Tara carefully extracted herself from Maggie's grasp. As she stood up, Tara realized just how much her body ached from the numerous beatings and wounds that Negan had inflicted on her. She bent down to pick Maggie up, holding her bridal style in her arms. Tara carefully exited the RV where Jesus was waiting for her.

"Hurry! Dr. Carson is waiting for her, come on!" Jesus led Tara into a building where they ran up a flight of stairs until they came to a room where the door was open, waiting.

Tara carried Maggie into the room, gently setting her down on the soft bed. A middle-aged man wearing black glasses greeted her, shaking her hand briefly. He had already heard about what had happened to Glenn, thinking it was a shame since the young man had been so nice last time Rick's group had been to the settlement. That was Negan's way of things though.

"I'm Harlan Carson, don't believe we've met yet. What's her sympt-" the doctor stopped talking when he lifted up the blanket that was covering Maggie, noticing the blood that had made its way down her leg.

Tara felt her heart drop at the sight, hoping against hope that the baby was alright. She wasn't sure how Maggie would cope with another loss, especially the loss of her own unborn child.

Dr. Carson felt Maggie's forehead, feeling just how warm she was and how much she was sweating. He could tell that she had a fever and was probably suffering a miscarriage from the amount of blood she was losing. The whole situation was unfortunate, but not uncommon especially in this new life.

"The baby...is it ok?" Tara asked in a panic as Dr. Carson sighed sadly, not sure how to deliver the bad news.

"I can't say for certain right now, but all signs are pointing to a miscarriage. Probably from the stress of what happened and the long wait for help," the doctor stated as Tara hung her head down in defeat.

"Shit..." Tara muttered as Jesus rubbed her shoulder, silently giving her some condolences. He had heard about what Negan had done to Glenn and he knew how close Tara had been to the deceased man.

"I'm gonna give her some antibiotics and see if we can hear a heartbeat," Dr. Carson rushed out of the room, looking for the materials and machines that he would need.

Tara defeatedly plopped down into the chair next to the bed, holding Maggie's hand. The pregnant woman had passed out from a mixture of pain and her declining physical condition. The doctor quickly ran back into the room with some kind of machine and a few needles and syringes.

"From the symptoms, it seems like Maggie is suffering from an incomplete miscarriage especially with the heavy bleeding and intense pain. Seems like it was accompanied with a high fever also," Dr. Carson plugged up a machine that Tara was unfamiliar with.

"So what do we do?" Tara asked as she watched the doctor put some kind of jelly on Maggie's stomach. He then took a wand, gently pressing it against Maggie's skin.

"We're listening for a heartbeat. If it's a miscarriage, there isn't much we can do. Back in the old days, we would have taken the rest of the fetus out, but I don't have any equipment that can do that so it needs to happen naturally which means more pain for Maggie, unfortunately," Dr. Carson sighed as he moved the wand around, hoping to find some kind of sign that the baby was alright.

Tara waited anxiously, silently praying to a God that she didn't believe in. After a few minutes, the doctor shook his head and sighed again. He always hated this part of the job, telling expectant parents that their dreams had been slashed away.

"I'm sorry, but there's no heartbeat. It's most definitely a miscarriage. She'll be alright once the miscarriage is complete but until then she'll be in a lot of pain. I'll give her some antibiotics to fight off the infection and some pain killers that she can take when she wakes up. That fever is really high...that worries me the most," Dr. Carson grabbed a syringe that had some clear liquid, sticking the needle in Maggie's arm.

Dr. Carson handed Tara a bottle of pain medication. "Just let her rest. The bleeding should stop soon, hopefully. I'll come check on her in a couple of hours but I didn't quite catch your name."

"Tara Chambler," Tara simply answered, trying to process what the doctor had just informed her.

"Tara. I take it that you're close to Maggie...I can pick up on these kinda things. She's gonna need a lot of support so just be there for her. And you should come by later and get yourself checked out. You don't look so great," With that, Dr. Carson left to attend to Daryl's bullet wound with Jesus following close behind him.

The door softly shut on its own as Tara was left in the room with Maggie. She glanced over at Maggie, taking in her perfect features, dreading the thought of telling her the horrible news.

"Fuck. First, Denise. Then, Glenn. Now...this. I don't think I can take anymore," Tara didn't try to stop the tears that finally fell as she thought about everything she had lost. She had lost her best friend and her girlfriend. Maggie had lost the baby. Negan would probably try to kill her soon to make an example out of her. Everything was royally fucked up. Tara could feel the sadness and anger burst within her as she stood up, punching the wall behind her a few times, trying to hold back all her tears, but finally just resigning.

Tara sat down again, her face in her hands as she mourned the ones she loved. She cried for both Denise and Glenn, her heart feeling as though a huge hole had been ripped through it. Tara let the tears fall until she couldn't cry anymore, her eyes red. She rested her head on Maggie's bed, closing her eyes, trying to get some kind of sleep.

During her captivity, the only time Tara got to sleep was when she had passed out from the beatings that Negan had delivered and it was never long since his men always woke her up by throwing bucketfuls of cold water on her.

"I promise, Glenn...I'll take care of Maggie," Tara whispered to the quiet room before she fell asleep, holding Maggie's hand.

About an hour later, Tara felt her shoulder being gently shaken as she woke up from her slumber. She blinked away the sleep from her eyes as she glanced at the visitors. Rosita and Eugene were both staring sadly at her.

"What do y'all want?" Tara asked as she glanced over at Maggie who was still passed out.

"You need to get checked out. You need pain killers and to get cleaned up," Rosita gently tried to prod her friend up.

"I'm fine. I'm not leaving Maggie's side," Tara adamantly stated. She really didn't care about her own wellbeing right now. Maggie was her main focus.

"I thought you would say that so I brought some medical supplies so I can clean you up a bit," Rosita softly ordered as Eugene left to go find some clean clothes for Tara. He also gave her a hug, happy that she hadn't been taken away from him.

Not much was said as Rosita checked over all the various bruises and cuts that Tara had acquired. She also bandaged up the arm that Lucille had struck, being careful not to press down too hard. Rosita discovered that Tara had been stabbed in the side, the injury was deep but small. Tara grimaced through the pain but didn't complain as Rosita stitched up the small cut on her forehead.

"That's probably gonna leave a scar," Rosita cleaned up the wound carefully as Tara kept a protective eye on Maggie.

"At least chicks dig scars, right?" Tara half heartedly joked, trying not to think about Glenn or Denise.

Rosita could see the internal struggle within Tara, pulling her into a hug, both shedding tears of pain and loss. They stayed in that position for a few minutes before Tara pulled away, wiping her tears away.

"At least I still have Maggie," Tara tenderly ran her fingers through the brunette's soft hair, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

"Do you love her?" Rosita asked, catching Tara completely off guard.

Tara thought about the question. She always knew that she had some feelings for Maggie ever since they had met in that dark tunnel over a year ago. It was hard not to fall for Maggie Greene but Tara kept the feeling to herself since Glenn was her best friend. She knew that Glenn had an inkling about what was going on. They had a talk about the subject a few months back.

"Yes, I love her. I loved Denise, too. I would have given my life for Denise. Just like I would give up everything for Maggie," Tara revealed as Rosita rubbed her back, being careful not to rub too hard.

"She loves you too, you know? I can tell," Rosita said softly as Tara didn't say anything. She highly doubted that Maggie felt anything for her but she kept her comments to herself as the door opened to reveal Eugene with some clean clothes for both her and Maggie.

Eugene hugged Tara again before leaving the bedroom again. The others would be spending the rest of the night at the Hilltop settlement, although they wouldn't be getting much sleep, the horrible events still vivid in their heads.

Rosita helped Tara change Maggie's clothes before leaving the room so she could get some kind of rest. The Latina actually missed Spencer Monroe, wanting a warm body in her bed to offer some comfort.

Tara stood at the door for a few seconds before deciding that she should probably find a bathroom. She could feel herself getting sick, that familiar sensation of needing to throw up filled her body.

"I'll be right back, Maggie," Tara told the sleeping woman before dashing off to find a restroom, thoughts of Glenn's battered, unrecognizable body filling her mind.

Afterwards, Tara washed out her mouth and tried not to think about Glenn anymore. She limped her way back to the room, passing Abraham in the hallway. They didn't say anything to one another but shared a hug that said everything that needed to be said.

Tara was surprised to find an unfamiliar man in the room with Maggie, standing over her, his hand on her side. He looked surprised when the door opened, quickly stepping away from the bed. The man didn't look in good condition, a bandage across his bare torso.

"You're Gregory?" Tara asked, the anger rising in her. She remembered Maggie telling her that the Hilltop leader was a creep who had hit on her multiple times.

"Yes, I am. Don't think we quite met yet," Gregory offered his hand, a fake smile plastered on his face. Tara didn't know what he had been up to while she was away but she couldn't stop herself as she delivered a hard punch to his face.

"What the hell were you doing in here?" Tara demanded as she stood over Gregory. She didn't even wait for his answer before she grabbed his shoulder, steadying him as she landed punch after punch onto his face. The anger dwelling inside her from the loss of Denise and Glenn had been unleashed and unfortunately for Gregory, he was her target. She didn't like how close he had been to Maggie, her protective streak surfacing.

Gregory tried to get away from Tara but it was hopeless as she dragged him out into the hallway before continuing her assault on him. Tara kept striking the man until she felt someone grab her from behind, pulling her away.

"Tara! Calm down!" Abraham yelled as she tried to break free from his powerful grip. Rick appeared in the hall, not quite sure what to make of the scene in front of him. He saw Gregory on the floor, coughing up a storm, his face pretty messed up.

"The fucker was in Maggie's room...he was up to something! I know it! And if he touches her again, I'll kill him!" Tara threatened as Rick glared at Gregory.

"That true?" Rick questioned. He was ready for this horrid night to be over with, his mind still not comprehending everything that had transpired.

Gregory ignored the question, furious about the beat down. "I want her out of here! She's lucky I don't have her killed for that!"

Abraham let go of Tara, towering over Gregory instead, staring him down. "You best not make threats before shit gets bad for you real quick."

Jesus jumped between Rick's group and Gregory. He knew their emotions were high after their encounter with Negan. "Gregory, shut the hell up! If you don't wanna be severely injured I suggest leaving Rick's people alone."

Gregory glared at Tara and Rick before hopping to his feet. He stomped to his room, slamming the door behind him. Tara glanced at her friends, ignoring their concerned looks before making her way back into Maggie's room. Her hands started to ache from how hard she had punched that douchebag.

Tara sat back down in the chair, resting her head back on the bed. Her body protested this position but she ignored the ache that was starting to build in her neck and back. Tara grabbed Maggie's hand, placing a soft kiss on it.

"Don't worry, Maggie. I'll make sure you make it through all of this...I swear," Tara whispered before laying her head down, closing her eyes to try to catch some more sleep.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Maggie slowly opened her eyes, trying to figure out where she was. She could see that she was in some kind of unfamiliar room, but she felt a familiar presence next to her. Maggie glanced down to see Tara slouched over the bed, her face hidden in the crook of her arm. Tara's hand was lightly grasping her own, giving her a sense of comfort.

Suddenly, the cruel events from the night came rushing back to Maggie as she realized that Glenn was really gone. She couldn't stop the tears that started to fall, waking up Tara in the process.

"Hey...Maggie..." Tara didn't know what to say to make the situation better. She felt Maggie grip her hand tighter as she reached over to gently wipe some of those tears away.

"Tara...the baby?" Maggie gave her friend the most heartbroken look imaginable. She already knew the answer, but she needed to know for sure.

Tara sighed sadly, glancing down at the floor in defeat. She took a few seconds, trying to find her voice. "Maggie...I'm sorry. The doc said you had a miscarriage, I'm so sorry."

Maggie's shoulders shook as sobs racked her weak body. She had already known what the result was but to hear it just made the situation more real and finalized. Maggie had truly lost so much that fateful night...Glenn and now her baby.

The sobs continued to shake Maggie's body as she tried to wipe her rushing tears away. Tara's heart broke at the sight in front of her, wishing she could take away Maggie's suffering.

"Can you just hold me?" Maggie asked in a small voice, needing the comfort that only Tara could give right now.

Tara nodded as she carefully laid down in the bed next to her grieving friend. Maggie wasted no time as she snuggled close to Tara, needing her warmth. Tara wrapped her arms around Maggie, pulling the other woman closer, her heart beating a bit fast since Maggie was practically on top of her now. Maggie nestled her head on Tara's chest, allowing herself to cry for the next couple of hours until she finally fell asleep.

Tara's shirt was soaked with Maggie's tears but she didn't care. She held Maggie close throughout the night, trying her best to drive away the nightmares that plagued the smaller woman every hour or so. Finally, Maggie fell into a restful type of sleep as dawn started to shine through the blinds, signaling that a new day was on the horizon.

As she glanced down at Maggie, Tara felt her heart fill with a love that was becoming harder and harder to hide. Tara knew that these next few months would be the most difficult to get through, but she was certain that together, her and Maggie could make it through anything. Tara finally closed her eyes to sleep, her grip on Maggie becoming tighter as her protective nature took over.

* * *

 **About 10 Months Later:**

Life was drastically different, but it moved forward even when some days were harder than others. At first, Maggie had no will to do anything, she just laid in bed most of the day. Tara often went to visit Glenn and Denise's graves and devised plans to kill both Dwight and Negan. She spent most of her time working out and getting into tip top shape, ready for a showdown.

When Tara wasn't working on her plan for revenge or out on supply runs, she spent her time with Maggie. They spent the long evenings and nights talking and getting closer than ever as they both mourned their losses. Tara was fiercely protective over Maggie, doing whatever needed to be done to make sure the other woman was safe and alright.

The first week, Negan showed up to collect his half of Alexandria's supplies, his men had been ruthless. They had invaded every house, taking whatever they wanted and stealing precious ammunition and weapons. When Rick started to stand up to the crazed leader, Negan ordered his men to bring Tara to him.

With Lucille by his side, Negan told the citizens of Alexandria that if any of them got in his men's way then Tara would have a date with his bat. Rick immediately stepped down, not wanting to lose someone else to Lucille's ruthlessness. Negan had taken great pleasure in seeing how torn up and weak Rick's group really was. Maggie watched from the sidelines, her heart racing each time Negan carelessly swung Lucille by Tara's head, deliberately coming within inches of hitting her. Finally, the Saviors were done and Negan ended his visit by giving Tara one good kick in the ribs before walking out of the gate.

After that, Rick knew that Alexandria wouldn't survive this deal with Negan so he devised a plan with other communities that the Saviors had terrorized, formulating a way to get the leader out of power. With help from the Hilltop and the newly discovered Kingdom community, they were able to form allies against Negan. Daryl even convinced his most hated enemy, Dwight, to try to overthrow Negan. At first, Tara refused to listen to Rick and Daryl about their plan when she realized that it included the man who had killed Denise.

Rick was able to convince Tara that this was the only way they could knock Negan down so she reluctantly agreed. The brutal All Out War had started and many causalities were suffered on both sides but Negan was finally defeated. Dwight took over as leader of the Saviors, turning Negan over to Rick and setting up a barter system with the other communities.

Tara was ready to kill Negan. She had fought in the War and had killed many people but now she had her chance to kill the man who really deserved death. Rick, on the other hand, decided to lock Negan up in the jail cell that Morgan had built stating that he could rot in there for the rest of his life and death was too easy a punishment for him. Tara didn't agree but she pushed her thirst for revenge away...at least for the time being.

Now, there was relative peace between the four communities with Negan securely locked up and out of sight.

Lucille was burned despite Negan's pleas of leniency for his beloved weapon. Tara was happy to see the damned thing burn to a crisp, the spikes melting in the hot flames.

* * *

Maggie leaned against the fence railing of the porch, waiting anxiously for Tara to get home from a two week supply run with Aaron and Heath. Not too long after Rick's group returned from that fateful night, Tara and Maggie moved in together so they wouldn't be alone.

She was nervous. Maggie knew she still had about two hours until Tara came strolling through the door but that didn't help her anxious nerves. It had all started innocently enough, Amber, a beautiful blonde that Tara sometimes had guard duty with, stopped Maggie on her way to Rosita's house, needing to talk.

Amber asked her a few questions about Tara, like what her favorite food was so she could cook her a homemade meal. Amber also asked if Maggie had ever seen Tara's extra appendage. Maggie answered the questions unable to shake the uncomfortable feeling that Amber was interested in Tara as more than just a friend. Maggie didn't know why, but that made her jealous.

When Maggie told Rosita what had happened, the Latina told it to her loud and clear - Maggie obviously had feelings for Tara. Maggie tried to deny it but the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. She always got butterflies in her stomach whenever Tara came into view. She loved spending time with her and couldn't imagine being with anyone else on those nights they spent awake talking about everything.

Maggie didn't want to see Tara with anyone else. Just the thought was enough to break her heart, but at the same time she felt guilty about Glenn. She had taken off her wedding ring after a couple of months since it was a painful reminder of her loss. She thought about Glenn everyday but the pain was slowly lessening.

Rosita told her that it was alright to want to be happy and that Glenn would want her and Tara to be together. Rosita also told Maggie that Tara had feelings for her too, but never acted on them since they were so close.

After that pep talk with Rosita, Maggie was determined to make Tara hers that night. Now, as time ticked away, she was nervous about her plan, but there was no turning back now. She thought about the questions that Amber had asked earlier. Maggie had lied when she said that she hadn't seen Tara's member.

Maggie had and it was quite impressive. She had learned about Tara's condition not too long after they had met and she didn't have a problem with it. After they had moved in, Maggie accidentally walked into Tara's room while she was changing and caught sight of it. She would be lying if she said it hadn't intrigued her since then.

The minutes ticked by as she prepared for Tara's arrival, her nerves settling down just a bit as she waited in her bedroom. She suddenly heard the front door open and shut. Maggie could hear rummaging downstairs before steps started to make their way up the stairs.

"Maggie, where you at?" Tara called out as she reached the top of the stairs.

"In my room. Come help me with somethin'," Maggie answered, her heart racing as she waited for Tara to walk into the bedroom. She turned on the radio in her room, the music calming her nerves.

Tara strolled into Maggie's room, stopping dead in her tracks when she caught sight of her friend, almost not believing what she was seeing. Maggie was standing in front of the bed, wearing a grey tank top, a pair of lacy black panties and nothing else. Tara gulped as she felt herself start to get hard in her jeans, drinking in the beautiful sight.

"Maggie...what..." Tara was at a loss for words, listening to the romantic song playing in the background.

"Shhhh...I know how you feel about me. I feel the same way, Tara. Maybe we're movin' too fast but I don't care. Life's too short to not try this...we deserve a chance after everythin' we've been through. We deserve to be happy," Maggie whispered as she stepped closer to Tara, reaching out to touch her, feeling electricity just from that connection.

Tara didn't say anything for a few seconds. She could see how vulnerable Maggie was in that moment as she confessed her feelings. Tara wanted nothing more than to be with Maggie. She had dreamed of this moment for so long and she was determined to make it last.

Tara was silent as she gently pulled Maggie close, feeling how perfect Maggie's body felt against her. They began very slowly, kissing and then looking in each other's eyes, finding the love and passion that they held only for each other. Maggie felt like fireworks had exploded all around her as Tara kissed her parted lips, tasting her.

Tara kissed her again and gently coaxed her mouth open, Maggie's stomach did a double flip when she felt Tara's tongue searching for hers. Tara explored her mouth and Maggie caressed Tara's tongue with her own, moaning at the sensation. Maggie could feel Tara's erection against her body, feeling just how big and hard it was. Tara pushed her cock against Maggie as they stepped back until they reached the bed.

Tara gently pushed down on Maggie until she was laying on the soft mattress. Maggie pulled Tara on top of her, not wanting to lose the connection that they shared. Tara thrusted against the woman beneath her, moaning at how amazing Maggie felt against her.

Reaching for the hem of her shirt, Maggie pulled it off as Tara drank in the sight of her beautiful breasts, gently caressing them. Maggie pulled at Tara's clothes, almost tearing them off, wanting nothing between their heated skin. Maggie pulled down Tara's boxers, allowing her hard dick to spring free. Maggie whimpered when she felt the hard head press against her wet pussy.

Tara kissed Maggie more intensely before moving down her body, wanting to savor every inch. She licked and sucked on Maggie's hard nipples causing moans to fill the bedroom. Maggie ran her fingers through Tara's dark hair, pushing her head to where she needed her the most.

Getting the hint, Tara kissed her way down Maggie's body until she stopped at where she was wanted. Maggie closed her eyes, waiting for that perfect moment, nearly exploding from pleasure as she felt Tara's tongue against her pussy. Tara took her time exploring the hot, wet skin, reveling in the taste. She flicked Maggie's clit with the tip of her tongue causing the other woman to grab and pull at her hair.

"Oh Tara...I need you...please," Maggie begged, pulling at Tara's shoulders, needing to feel all of her.

Tara resumed her position on top of Maggie, the tip of her cock teasing her girlfriend, the head rubbing against the excited clit, getting wet with Maggie's juices. Tara moved her pelvis back and positioned her hard cock, slipping slowly inside of Maggie.

Maggie gasped and then moaned when she felt Tara push into her. Tara thrusted inside, slowly pumping inch after inch into Maggie's tight pussy, the sensation like nothing she had ever felt before. Maggie closed her eyes as she felt herself being stretched by Tara's large dick, the thickness filling her up.

"Fuck..." Tara groaned as Maggie completely surrounded her. She glanced down at Maggie, maintaining eye contact as she started to thrust in and out of her, the pace slow and romantic. Sounds of pleasure filled the room as their rhythm became one, their senses filled with one another. Maggie kissed Tara's neck, her nails lightly scratching Tara's strong shoulders and back. She could feel herself clenching Tara's cock, and she could feel an ache beginning between her legs, a pleasurable throbbing.

Each time Tara thrusted into Maggie, she could feel Maggie's muscles flexing around her cock, stroking her length as she pushed into her and withdrew again. Tara shut her eyes, trying to hold off her orgasm as long as she possibly could, wanting this experience to last.

"Oh Tara..." Maggie whimpered, feeling that familiar sensation start to build up within her.

Tara heard Maggie's ragged breath and her moans when she pumped into her, not noticing that she was thrusting even harder, going in even deeper. Maggie began whimpering and Tara could feel Maggie's pussy start to squeeze her cock even tighter.

Maggie thrust herself as hard as she could against Tara's cock, the smoldering ache was at its peak inside her pussy, begging for release. Her swollen clit kept bumping on Tara's pelvis, adding to the throbbing ache as she felt that bliss of pleasure finally hit her. Maggie thrusted at Tara one last time, taking her in as deep as she could, her body trembling with release as the huge orgasm took over her flesh.

"Oh god...Tara!" Maggie shouted, her pussy clenching Tara tightly, wetness gushing all over Tara's already slick cock.

Tara grunted, pumping a few more times before she finally allowed herself release. Maggie could feel Tara cum deep inside her, closing her eyes as she was filled up. Tara's cum was hot, some slipping out of Maggie and onto the sheet underneath them. They stayed in that position for a few minutes, feeling the pulsing aftershocks from their powerful orgasms.

Finally, Tara collapsed on Maggie, spent and exhausted. She made a motion to pull out, but was stopped by Maggie, who wanted her to stay inside longer. Tara stared down into Maggie's green eyes, kissing her passionately, still not believing that the beautiful woman was truly hers now.

"I love you so much," Tara whispered those three delicate words that were music to Maggie's ears. She didn't want to waste another second without Tara knowing just how much she meant to her.

"I love you, too," Maggie said, feeling some happy tears fall from the corner of her eyes. Tara lovingly wiped the tears away before kissing her again.

Maggie held Tara close, her fingers running through Tara's hair, enjoying this perfect moment as they became lovers instead of just friends. She could feel Tara's breath against her ear, her body trembling in response.

"You mean so much to me, Maggie. I would marry you right now if I had a ring to give to you," Tara let slip before she could stop herself, hoping she didn't just scare Maggie away.

A few seconds passed by as Tara wondered if she had screwed things up already. Instead, Maggie smiled, leaning over to kiss her again.

"Yes. I'll marry you," Maggie grinned as Tara laughed, beyond happy that everything was working out for once.

"Wait. I've got something for you," Tara pulled out of Maggie, looking for her jeans that had been thrown across the room. Maggie appreciated Tara's physique as she watched her dig into her pockets, pulling out a small package.

She climbed back into bed, handing the object to Maggie who just giggled at Tara's silliness. In her hands was a Ring Pop lollipop still in its wrapper.

"A Ring Pop? I used to love these things," Maggie laughed as she cuddled up next to Tara.

"That can tide you over until I can get you a proper ring," Tara joked. She couldn't believe how much had changed in just a few short hours, but for the first time in a long time, Tara was finally happy.

The young couple cuddled together and made love throughout the rest of the night, discovering one another in the most of intimate ways. Afterwards, they collapsed in an exhausted heap, Maggie falling asleep almost instantly against Tara.

Tara glanced down at the woman cuddled on top of her, her heart filling with a love that she hadn't felt in a long time. Tara knew that this crazy world they now lived in would never be easy, but she knew that with Maggie by her side she could cope and survive anything. She finally fell asleep, her mind filled with dreams about what the future ultimately held for her and Maggie in Alexandria.

* * *

 **Epilogue:**

The morning sun creeped through the blinds as Maggie woke up to find Tara rubbing and talking to her pregnant stomach. She smiled as she felt Tara kiss her belly, telling their baby that she couldn't wait to meet them soon. Maggie was about five months pregnant and she was starting to show much to Tara's delight.

"Did I wake you?" Tara asked when she noticed that Maggie was awake.

"Yes, but in the sweetest way possible," Maggie answered as Tara smiled, laying her head on her wife's stomach.

Life in Alexandria was good for the most part. They had some problems but Rick and company kept the community safe from any threats that came their way. Maggie was a leader within the community with Rick and Tara by her side. The people trusted her and she had helped form powerful alliances with other settlements nearby. Negan was still locked up in the cell and Tara had guarded him a few times, ignoring the ruthless man when he tried to talk to her. She still wanted to kill the man for what he had done to Glenn but she followed Rick's rules.

"I could try to make it up to you," Tara wiggled her eyebrows, positioning herself on top of Maggie, ready to take off the clothes that were in her way.

Suddenly, the door swung open as two little girls barged into the room, causing Tara to quickly roll off of Maggie, a smile on her face. The two kids promptly jumped onto the bed, laughing as they tackled Tara into the soft mattress. Maggie just giggled as she watched her children excitedly jump on top of Tara.

"It's my birthday today! Rosita said I'm six today!" Taren, the oldest grinned with a smile that was identical to Tara's. Maggie still couldn't get over how much their oldest looked like Tara, she was practically the splitting image and had the personality to boot. Taren was a tomboy, climbing trees and getting into all kinds of trouble, watching intently when Daryl and Tara worked on their motorcycle or other mechanical things.

"Yup, it's your birthday today, sweetie. That means that Aunt Carol is gonna bake you a cake today," Maggie commented as Taren jumped on the bed a few more times.

The rest of Rick's group had quickly become the kids' aunts and uncles, helping to take care of them and watching them grow up. They were all fiercely protective over the two Chambler kids and Judith, doing whatever needed to be done to keep them safe.

"How much longer til' I'm as old as Taren?" Elizabeth "Izzy", their middle child, asked in a bit of a Southern accent. Izzy had features from both Maggie and Tara, and she was a quiet child most of the time, her time spent reading and watching old Batman cartoons with Tara and Eugene.

"About two years," Tara answered as Izzy thought about the answer.

Now, Maggie was expecting their third child, a girl from the ultrasound that Dr. Carson had performed just a few days ago. Maggie already had a name picked out for their newest addition - Calliope with Callie being the cute nickname. She remembered the name from one of her favorite characters on Grey's Anatomy, which Tara had managed to find a few DVDs of a few weeks back.

Both Tara and Maggie were happily awaiting the birth of their youngest child, but Tara was determined that this would be their last child. Rick and Daryl always teased Tara that she could look at Maggie and get her pregnant.

"Alright! Enough jumping on me," Tara tried to protest to her kids but they kept up their antics, causing her to laugh. Maggie placed her hand on her stomach and smiled, feeling the baby kick. She glanced over at Tara who was busy playing with Taren and Izzy, all of them laughing in happiness.

Maggie still remembered that horrible night all those years ago and not a day went by that she didn't think about it. When she had been on her knees, waiting for Lucille's death blow, Maggie never thought she would ever have what she had now and she was grateful for the full life that she was able to live.

She had lost a lot in her short life, but Maggie knew all the pain and suffering had made her stronger in the end. Now, she was the mother to two wonderful children and had another on the way. Tara was by her side through everything and she couldn't imagine herself being with anyone else. Maggie now looked forward to the future and the endless possibilities that awaited her small family, ready for whatever the world decided to throw their way.

* * *

Well, that was my one shot...hope you guys enjoyed it. I enjoyed the season finale but that cliffhanger nearly killed me. Seriously tho, I hope Glenn doesn't die. I actually don't want any of the characters to die, but someone got the bat...unfortunately. But this story was just my take on what would happen next. Oh and Negan? That handsome devil...I felt bad for liking him so much...but I think he's kinda hot lol.

Anyways, leave a review if you want to and tell me what you thought. Thanks for reading and hopefully these next six months go by fast. If y'all ever want to talk about any of my stories, just send me a PM or whatever. :)


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